Made from grapes from the Beaujolais region of France, Beaujolais nouveau is only fermented for a few weeks before it is bottled and shipped around the world. Like all European wines, it’s named after the region it’s produced, not the grape it’s made of. Unlike American wines, there are strict laws regulating its harvest – the gamay grapes must be hand harvested and the wine is fermented with whole berries to emphasize the fruit rather than extract the tannin in the grape skins. This is why you get hints of banana, fig and pear when you drink it. It’s an end of harvest wine, ready to drink about 2 months after it is harvested, and until after World War Two, was only available for local consumption. Now 49 million liters are made and exported across the globe.

The Beaujolais nouveau is the first wine made from any vintage, so it’s a big indicator of just how the wines harvested from grapes in any year will taste. Some years, like 2000, have been really extraordinary, so despite being a wine that should be drank fairly quickly, the Beaujolais nouveau from that year could have been enjoyed all year long. If the 2011 Beaujolais nouveau is any indicator, it’s going to be a great vintage!

Chances are you’ve probably seen the Georges Duboeuf at your local wine store. He made the wine famous by marketing heavily with silk ties and designer labels. It was also Deboeuf that was the first to market the wine for Thanksgiving. He even started a race to see who could run the first bottle to Paris, which seems to be a pretty great marketing strategy. But, most importantly, how is the wine? Vintages vary, as with all wine, but this year was definitely a strong showing from Georges Duboeuf. For about eight to nine dollars, the Duboeuf is a reasonably priced bottle and is fruity, like all Beaujolais nouveau ought to be.

But for something really special, try the Domaine de la Madone. Just like all Beaujolais nouveau styles, it’s fruity with the fig and pear undertones.But… this one is just richer. It has a warmth that most of us associate with red wine. It’s not tannin; it’s not dry or bitter and leaves you refreshed. Still, it coats the glass just a little bit more than the Georges Deboeuf. Its flavor sticks around just a little more. It’s a bit of a darker purple-red. And it’s not significantly more expensive, just two dollars more. No matter what you get, this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau is a great way to celebrate the winter season.

Last summer, I found the apartment of my dreams. Spacious but cozy, with high ceilings, big windows and lot’s of natural light, it was almost perfect. Why almost? Well, the apartment needs a complete renovation. With a gutted kitchen, uneven floors, doors with cut out holes for (I suspect) cats, and a bathroom that looks like it’s housing several diseases,  this is no “move-in” ready deal. With a little imagination though, you can definitely see its beautiful potential. Plus, it’s  in the same neighborhood that I already live in and have grown to love, and even after doing a full-renovation, it will still be way under the price of other “move-in” ready apartments I had seen in the same area. So, after months of struggling with a co-op board to be able to begin remodeling the place, we’re finally on our way. Of course, this means the hard part has begun.

Remodeling an apartment is scary work. You’re stuck with everything you choose, and those tiny color swatches at Home Depot really don’t give you a great idea of what it will look like on your walls or cabinets. For example, after finding a cabinet color I love (river rock by Thomasville) I did some research and found out that the pretty light grey swatch in the store actually looks more taupe when it’s in your kitchen and hit with natural light. See, scary!

So, to get a clearer understanding of what I want, I’ve begun assembling pictures of couches and wall colors and cabinets and pretty over-the-top rooms of inspiration like the ones in this post. For example, the one above features a glamour bomb- big sparkly chandelier, rich purple fabrics and that amazing mirror wall. Below, we have more modern glamour with the silver striped Parisian walls, dark boudoir photographs, and neutral colors. However, both photos embody what I want my apartment to be; glamorous. I have many sides to me and I like so many styles. My previous apartment was more vintage/antique looking, and now, when I think of my personal style and preference, where I’ll feel most at home, it’s somewhere glamorous. Maybe it won’t be as over-the-top as these two, but it will definitely include some glamorous elements while still feeling cozy. And because I like to share and need confirmation that I’m not (completely) crazy in my choices, I’ll be taking you guys on this journey with me. Buckle up- it’s about to get glamorous.

via thedecorista.com